of an
intended _brush_ at the Decameron.[132]

M. Renouard has allowed me free access to his library; which also contains
some very beautiful copies of books printed in the fifteenth century. Among
these latter, his VELLUM VALDARFER is of course considered, by himself and
his friends, as the _keimelion_ of the collection. It is the edition of the
_Orations of Cicero_, printed by Valdarfer, at Venice, in 1471, folio: a
most exquisite book--which may be fairly considered as perfect throughout.
It is in its second binding, but _that_ may be as old as the time of
Francis I.: perhaps about the middle of the sixteenth century. This copy
measures thirteen inches in height, by eight inches and seven-eighths in
width:--almost, I conceive, in its original state of amplitude. I will
frankly own that I turned over the leaves of this precious book, again and
again--"sighed and looked, &c." "But would no price tempt the owner to part
with it?" "None. It is reserved as the bijou of my catalogue, and departs
not from hence." Severe, but just decree! There is only one other known
copy of it upon vellum, which is in the Royal Library[133]--but which wants
a leaf of the table; an imperfection, not belonging to the present copy.

The other "great guns," as VELLUM BOOKS, in the collection of M. Renouard,
are what is called the _Familiar Epistles of Cicero_ printed by _Aldus_ in
1502, 12mo: and the _Petrarch_ of 1514, 8vo. also printed by Aldus. Of
these, the _latter_ is by much the preferable volume. It is almost as large
as it can well be: but badly bound in red morocco.[134] The Cicero is short
and sallow-looking. It was on the occasion of his son starting for the
first time on a bibliographical tour, and, on crossing the Rhine, and
finding this Cicero and the almost equally rare _Aldine Virgil_ of 1505,
that a relation of this "fortunate youth" invoked his muse in some few
verses, which he printed and gave to me.[135] These are little
"plaisanteries" which give a relish to our favourite pursuits; and which
may at some future day make the son transcend the father in bibliographical
renown. Perhaps the father has already preferred a prayer upon the subject,
as thus:

[Greek: Zeu, alloi te Theoi, dote de kai tonde genesthai
Paid emon os kai ego per, ....]

There are some few noble volumes, from the press of _Sweynheym and
Pannartz_, in this collection; and the finest copy of the FIRST LUCIAN in
Greek, which perhaps any where exists.[